It seemed like an age ago that The Maccabees released Colour It In, their jauntily eccentric debut album. Now finally, the South London five-piece are back, and as a taster for their upcoming album, they have released ‘No Kind Words’ as a free download.I was a little worried that they might be a one-trick pony type of band, but on the stunning ‘No Kind Words’ alone, there is proof enough that The Maccabees have greatly matured in the last two years. I get the feeling that their upcoming album will be less about happy-go-lucky reminiscing (about topics like cigarette burns and leisure centres), and will encompass more of a darker edge more reminiscent of early Gang of Four and contemporaries like The National.
‘No Kinds Words’ shows lead singer Orlando Weeks in an introspective mood (“If you’ve got no kind words to say, you should say nothing more at all”). Yet despite all this, they have still managed to retain their pop sensibility of yesteryear, which is something that will set them apart from the rest of the indie-world. For a hint of what I’m talking about, check out their great accompanying video on YouTube, what’s not to like, even Kanye West has been blogging about it!
8/10
Ben Cohen
